catalyst2 | I *love* bureaucracy!

What is it about vehicle licensing centres and officiousness? I have now been to licensing centers in seven countries on 3 continents and they are all the same.

Today's experience - went in to do the routine license renewal. It is one of those numbered queue systems where you get a numbered tag when you go in. There's only one person in front of me and four empty counters so I figure that it will be pretty quick. Sure enough, I get called almost immediately. I put the form on the counter and start to sign the signature box.

Woman Behind Counter: Good morning sir, how can I h- I'm sorry sir but you can't complete your form at the counter (and points to a sign that says "Please complete all forms before bringing to the counter). You'll have to sit back down to do that.
Me: But I've already done it (and I point to my now-completed signature).
WBC: Sir you need to sit down and rejoin the queue.

Facing the inevitable, I turn around to find absolutely no-one else in the waiting area. So I turn back to her

Me: But there's no-one else waiting.
WBC: Sir, you have to sit first. I can call security (and she nods in the direction of the uniformed guard at the front door).
Me: I'll sit down.

And so I trudge off and sit down. Bearing in mind that there's no-one else in the waiting area still, I wait for maybe a couple of minutes or so and then go back to the counter.

Me: The form is now completed and I've sat down. Can't you just do this now?
WBC: I'm sorry sir you need a number to be served.

I produce the ticket from all of about 3 minutes ago.

WBC: I'm sorry sir but you need a new ticket number because this is a new transaction.
Me: But this is the same form as before.
WBC: Sir, this is a new transaction and, as such, I must require you to produce a ticket to ensure that we serve customers in the order that they come in.

Remember that there is no-one else in the entire waiting area.

Me: But I'm the only person here - you have to serve me first.
WBC: Without your ticket, I have no proof of your position in the queue. You need to take a number. I can call s-
Me: -ecurity, I know. I'll get a number.

I walk over to the ticket dispenser and grab a number and sit back down. There's still no-one else around.

WBC: Number 21, please. Does someone have number 21?

And then she looks around the waiting room. Still only me in there, remember.

WBC: Good morning sir, how can I help you?

And the entire transaction is completed (including payment and digital photograph) in under a minute.